Quick No-Knead Bread

One of my favourite no-knead breads is the Crusty Artisan Bread, a fuss free recipe where you leave the dough to rise for between 8 and 24 hours before baking.  I have made this very moreish bread on a number of occasions to rave reviews and most everybody says it’s the best ciabatta they have eaten.

I then read about a no-knead bread which is ready to go in 2 hours or less over at Eat, Play, Love, which Kristy originally read about over at Five Euro Food and naturally I had to give it a go.

This is a lovely loaf of bread which is a more traditional loaf than the artisan bread.  I made a second round of dough and baked it in 8 mini loaf tins which we enjoyed with friends.  They did however say they thought a bit more salt was needed.  I am very tempted to bake this super easy recipe in a Dutch oven as with the artisan bread and see what the difference is.

I couldn’t wait so I cut the bread while it was too hot -oops

As seen on Eat, Play, Love

Ingredients

8g dried yeast – I used instant – it’s all I can get
50ml warm water
400g plain flour – I used unbleached stone ground bread flour
3tsp sugar – I used brown
1tsp salt
250ml warm water

 Method

1. Place the yeast into a small bowl and pour over the 50ml water. Set aside and allow the yeast to activate for approximately 15 minutes.
2. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.  Pour in the activated yeast and the remaining water and mix well until the flour is completely combined. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm spot to prove for approximately 60 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Dust the dough with a little flour and fold over a few times.  Form the dough and place in a prepared loaf tin. Make cuts into the top of the loaf  and sprinkle on some flour before setting aside in a warm place to rise for approximately 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 230°C.
5. Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
6. Remove the bread from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.

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No-Knead Crusty Artisan Bread

I have to open this post by saying, I think Celia over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial will be proud of my first attempt at this lovely recipe which I saw over at Georgia’s, The Comfort of Cooking.  For some strange reason I have not been receiving Georgia’s updates for a while (sorted now) so missed this wonderful recipe.  I have never seen a recipe for a loaf of bread where you leave the dough to rise for between 8 and 24 hours; a novel and interesting idea I thought, plus being baked in a Dutch oven was also a new concept to me.  This is guaranteed to be a winner of a recipe in any home and highly recommend you bake a loaf.

I left my dough to rise for 18 hours before baking.

This loaf is guaranteed to take your low-carb, low fat eating habit and throw it right out of the window.  I enjoyed slice after slice of this warm from the oven with lashings of cold butter, cut thick like cheese!  The crumb is moist and slightly chewy like a ciabatta with a fabulous crispy crust and base.  Not sure if the chewiness was due to the flour I used.  All the same, I would enjoy it again, exactly the same way.

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
2-3 teaspoon kosher salt – I found 2 tsps way too salty so reduced this to 1 tsp
½ tsp dry yeast – I used instant yeast
1½ cups lukewarm water – I used approximately 1¼ cups

Method

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and yeast.
2. Add the water and stir using a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a shaggy but cohesive dough.  You may not need the full amount of water so start with 1 cup and slowly add more until you have a nice soft dough.
3. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave the dough sit at room temperature for 8-24 hours.
4. After dough is ready, preheat the oven to 230°C.
5. Place a Dutch oven or casserole dish uncovered into the oven for 30 minutes.  I left my casserole dish in for 15 minutes.
6. While your dish preheats, turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and with floured hands form the dough into a ball. Cover the dough loosely with cling film and allow to rest.
7. After the 30 (15) minutes remove your dish from the oven and place the dough into it and place the lid on.
8. Bake for 30 minutes covered then remove the cover and bake for an additional 7-15 minutes.  The loaf is ready when it is golden brown and crispy.

Seeded Loaf

This recipe has been sitting in the folder of recipes to try for over 18 months – so very sad!  I tore it out of the Food and Home magazine and if I have it correct, (as I only tore out the section with the recipe) it seems credit needs to go to The Cake the Budda Ate:  More Quiet Food.  This loaf is full of wonderful flavour and texture and paired beautifully with a lasagne, beetroot and green salad dinner I made for when my brother and his family arrived on holiday.  I will definitely be keeping an assortment of seeds on hand to make this regularly.

Ingredients

4 cups nutty wheat flour
5ml bicarbonate of soda
5ml baking powder
5ml salt
25ml brown sugar
500ml plain yoghurt – I used full cream Greek yoghurt
50ml sunflower oil
50ml milk
1 cup mixed seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, poppy) – I never used poppy as I never had any
Sesame seeds to garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a loaf tin.
2. Sift the dry ingredients.
3. Stir in the sugar.
4. Mix the yoghurt, oil and milk.  Combine with the dry mixture and mix thoroughly.
5. Stir in the mixed seeds.
6. Spoon into the loaf tin.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 45 minutes.
7. Switch off the oven and leave for a further 15 minutes.

Nutty Wheat Sunflower Loaf

After my brown bread, as promised, I have added a few seeds – sunflower rather than pumpkin and replaced the brown bread flour with nutty wheat flour.  This loaf is fabulous and perfect for cheeses and preserves or just with lashings of butter.  Moving forward I will toast the sunflower seeds a bit before adding them to the loaf as they will add a bit more of a “nutty” flavour as opposed to just texture in the loaf.

Ingredients

2 cups nutty wheat flour
1tsp instant yeast
½ tsp salt
1tsp sugar
1 tbsp oil
1 cup warm water
¼ cup sunflower seeds

Method 

1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add the oil, water and seeds and mix to combine.  The mixture will still be quite sticky.
3. Place the dough on a floured surface and gently knead for 5 minutes.  You may need to add a little more flour over the top of the dough to prevent it sticking to your fingers.
4. Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with a cloth and set aside in a warm spot until the dough is double in size.
5. Softly knead the mixture on a lightly floured surface and then place in a prepared bread tin.  Sprinkle a few more sunflower seeds over the top of the loaf and lightly press down to stick to the dough.
6. Allow the dough to rest and fill the tin.
7. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
8. Bake the bread for 20 to 25 minutes until baked through and lightly browned.

Homemade Brown Bread

I go through phases of using certain ingredients and playing around with the results of recipes.  My latest favourite is yeast.  It is fascinating to think that a teaspoon or two of a dry ingredient combined with some warm water and a little patience can yield such satisfying results.  Vetkoek is always a favourite and this lovely easy bread is equally as satisfying and fun.  This recipe is a half portion of my vetkoek recipe using brown bread flour.  Next up is Nutty Wheat flour with seeds of sorts, possible pumpkin…

Ingredients

2 cups brown bread flour
1st instant yeast
½ tsp salt
1tsp sugar
1 tbsp oil
1 cup warm water

Method 

1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add the oil and water and mix to combine.  The mixture will still be quite sticky.
3. Place the dough on a floured surface and gently knead for 5 minutes.  You may need to add a little more flour over the top of the dough to prevent it sticking to your fingers.
4. Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with a cloth and set aside in a warm spot until the dough is double in size.
5. Softly knead the mixture on a lightly floured surface and then place in a prepared bread tin.
6. Allow the dough to rest and fill the tin.
7. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
8. Bake the bread for 20 minutes or until baked through and lightly browned.

Rosemary and Thyme Focaccia

Another recipe I wanted to try from the first edition of the Baked and Delicious was the rosemary and thyme focaccia, especially seeing that it ties in with my wanting to make more bread.  I really am enjoying working with yeast – it is very satisfying to see dough rise and to punch it down again.

I changed the recipe ever so slightly by not putting the herbs in the dough and only put them over the top of the bread which was great plus I halved the recipe.

Ingredients

450g strong white flour – I used all purpose, it’s all I had on hand
2tsp fast acting yeast
5ml sea salt plus extra for sprinkling
1tbsp fresh rosemary chopped plus extra sprigs
1tbsp fresh thyme chopped plus extra
4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
250 – 300ml warm water

Method

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl, stir in the yeast and salt.  Add the chopped herbs (if using) and using a wooden spoon or the dough hooks on your electric beater, beat in the olive oil and enough warm water to make a soft dough.
2. Place onto a board and knead for 10 minutes.
3. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and leave in a warm spot for approximately an hour until it has doubled in size.
4. Knock back the dough by punching it down to let the air escape and divide into two or  four portions.  Roll out into rough ovals approximately 1cm thick.  Place on an oiled baking sheet, cover with oiled plastic wrap and leave to rise for a further 20 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
6. Sprinkle with thyme and poke the rosemary sprigs into the surface of the breads and scatter generously with sea salt flakes and drizzle with olive oil.
7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.  Wrap in a clean tea towel to cool.  Eat the same day.

Sandwich Loaf

I am still experimenting with different bread recipes and even though the recipes have all been very similar, they have all produced a completely different loaf.  This Sandwich Loaf was kneaded on an oiled surface as opposed to a floured surface, which was a first for me and I may have used a little too much oil as my loaf didn’t stay beautifully risen while it was baking – I’m thinking it was a bit heavy with the oil.  Then again, it could just be that I am inexperienced in making bread.  No matter, as it was a lovely soft and moist loaf which made beautiful toast over the coals plus it was equally as nice and fresh the next morning. 🙂

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1¼ tsp salt
10g packet instant yeast
4 tbsp melted butter or vegetable oil
½ cup milk *
½ to ⅔ cup hot water *

Method

*Mix the cold-from-the-refrigerator milk with ½ cup of the hot-from-the-tap water to make a lukewarm combination.

1. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 20cm log and place the log in a lightly greased loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow the bread to rise until it’s domed about 2cm above the edge of the pan.  A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.
5. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until it’s light golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove the bread from the loaf tin and cool on a wire rack.

Easy White Bread

After trying my hand at Linda’s bread recipe, I quickly set off scouring the internet for bread recipes and soon realised that I should start with the easy recipes, which resulted in a lot very similar recipes so it was pot luck and I settled on one that I found on NibbleDish and landed up changing it completely!  Not sure if it was the right thing to do but the loaf turned out very nicely and I will definitely be making it again.

Amended from NibbleDish

Ingredients

4 cups flour
10g packet instant yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
1 cup water
¼ cup milk

1 egg beaten for egg wash

Method

1. Mix 3 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar and salt.
2. Add the oil.
3. Combine the water and milk and heat until warm.
4. Add the warm liquid to the dry ingredients and mix together.
5. Using the 4th cup of flour, flour a work surface and turn out the dough.
6. Knead the dough, adding more of the 4th cup of flour as needed, kneading for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
7. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave somewhere warm to rise until it has doubled in size.
8. Once risen, punch the dough down and tip out onto the counter and gently roll it out into a rectangle approximately 18cm X 30cm.
9. Roll it up, tuck in the ends, and place it into a greased loaf tin.
10. Cover and let rise again until doubled in size.
11. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
12. Once risen, brush the top with a bit of egg wash and bake for approximately 25 -30 minutes until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it.
13. Remove the bread from the pan immediately and place on a rack to cool.

While the bread was still warm, I made myself as super yummy meatball sarmie.

This bread also makes lovely toast.

Milk Loaf

I love eating bread but have only  occasionally tried my hand at making “proper” bread, where you must use yeast and knead it and let is rise.  My bread making is more the quick easy loaves – Guinness Beer Bread and Cheese and Onion Bread.  I tried Linda’s Milk Loaf and as with all new recipes I follow the ingredients and instructions as given, which clearly is not the way to go when making bread.  My first attempt, the mixture was extremely sticky and would not come together for kneading so I had to add more flour.  My second attempt was very successful and it turned out that I only used 320ml of the given 400ml liquid.  It was a wonderful dough to work with.  I am now on the hunt for more “proper” bread recipes and going forward will always add my liquid a little at a time.

Taken from Fired Up Cooking SA

Ingredients

3 ½ cups cake flour
5ml salt
10g sachet instant yeast
30ml sugar or syrup
60ml oil or melted butter
200ml warm milk
200ml warm water

1 egg beaten for egg wash
15ml sesame seeds – optional

Method

1. Mix the dry ingredients.
2. Stir in the oil/butter and sugar/syrup.
3. Combine the milk and water and add a little at a time to the dry ingredients until the mixture comes together.
4. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic and just springs back when you stretch it.
5. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave somewhere warm to rise until at least double in size.
6. Turn the mixture out again and knead briefly once more.
7. Divide the dough into three pieces, roll and stretch each piece into a long sausage.
8. Pinch the three pieces together firmly at one end and plait then plait / braid them together, pinching the other end together as well.
9. Place the plaited loaf onto a greased baking tray, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise until double in size.
10. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
11. Brush the bred with the egg wash and if using, sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
12. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it.

Easy Banana Bread

I saw the recipe for this tasty Banana Bread on Linda’s  Fired up Cooking SA‘s blog.  I felt a slight twinge of guilt though when I made it, as I have stated in the past that my family’s recipe for Banana Loaf is the one of the best!  While it is still a brilliant and well loved recipe, Linda’s version is so much quicker and like Linda says, all you need is a fork and a bowl.  Ordinarily I use very ripe bananas for Banana Loaf but only had “just yellow” ones on hand and they produced a lovely light banana flavour.

Ingredients

3 or 4 bananas (I used three and they made up 1 cup)
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (I used brown sugar)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ cups all purpose flour

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Grease a small loaf tin.
3. Mash the bananas in the bowl with the fork.
4. Add the melted butter and mix in.
5. Add the sugar and mix in.
6. Add the egg and beat into the mixture.
7. Add the vanilla essence and stir in.
8. Sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda over the mix and blend in.
9. Add the flour and mix through.
10. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean.  Mine took 45 minutes.

Woman’s Home Companion Cook Book – Part 3

 

 

What I know about bread apart from baking the occasional basic loaf is I thoroughly enjoy eating it.

I have just read some interest facts and learnt a few new things in the Bread chapter, which spans 75 pages (including recipes).  It seems bread baking is an art form and there is a very delicate balance between a good and bad loaf with so many different things than can go wrong.

Under the heading Liquid,  I learnt that:

“Milk adds to the keeping qualities of bread; bread containing milk usually makes better toast.  Fresh milk or buttermilk should always be scalded and cooled to lukewarm before combining with the yeast.  This scalding stops enzyme action in the milk, which might cause some softening of the dough.”

I also read that salt helps control the fermentation of the dough and that too much salt may retard rising and that insufficient sugar will slow the rising process and the bread may bake without browning.

And here is the full explaining about the importance of Kneading:

“Kneading thoroughly mixes the flour and liquid, distributes the yeast evenly and develops the gluten.  The gluten myst be stretched to make a network which will hold the gas formed when the dough is rising.  If the dough is insufficiently kneaded part of this gas may escape making the bread heavy.  If kneaded too long or too vigourously the dough becomes very difficult to handle and shape and the bread will again be heavy.”

It seems the Rising process is quite a science too.

This chapter also included instruction and recipes for rolls/buns, various “flavoured” loafs, scones, muffins, quick loafs, a variety of griddlecakes(pancakes), waffles and doughnuts and 3 pages on toasted breads, including melba toast, French toast, croutons and bread crumbs.

All that being said, I will still try my hand at some of the wonderful looking recipes, starting with the Crusty Rolls.

 

Braai (barbecue) Sarmies

When Pete and I braai, toasted sandwiches quite often make their way into the mix.  Family and friends always seem to look forward to when Braai Sarmies are featured and not wanting to disappoint, we willingly comply and make them.  We have on occasion even just braaied sarmies.  We also joke that a salad is not required as the salad ingredients are on the sandwich.

Braai Sarmies

Ingredients

10ml mayonnaise per sandwich
10ml chutney per sandwich
Bread sliced
Onion sliced
Tomato sliced (optional)
Salt & Pepper
Cheddar cheese grated
Butter
 

Method

1. Mix the mayonnaise and chutney for the amount of sandwiches you are making.
2. Lay your bread out on a work surface and spread the mixture onto half of the slices
3. Layer on the onion, tomato if you are using it, salt and pepper and cheese.
4. Close the sandwiches and butter the outside of both slices of each sandwich.
5. Close in a box or sandwich grid and braai over coals turning often until golden brown.

Mini Guinness Beer Bread

I have often made variations of beer bread – herbed beer bread, beer and cheese bread, herbed cheese beer bread and for the longest time I have wanted to make it with Guinness.  I was thrilled with the result – the bread was less yeasty than normal beer bread and seemed lighter in texture too and seeing that I am in my making things individual, I made these in mini loaf tins.

Ingredients

4 cups self raising flour
5ml salt
1 can (340ml) Guinness

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Spray 8 mini loaf tins with non stick spray.
3. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
4. Add the beer and mix until combined.
5. Divide into 8 and place in the loaf tins
6. Bake for 20 minutes.

Cheese and Onion Bread

Just to balance out the ever growing sugar content, I thought it best to throw something savoury into the mix again.  For those of you in the warmer climates enjoying braai’s (barbecues) this festive season, this bread is always a welcome and enjoyed accompaniment and quite honestly is nice enough to enjoy as a meal on it’s own.

Ingredients

625ml bread flour
15ml baking powder
2ml salt
125ml cheddar cheese grated
15ml chopped fresh chives
15ml chopped fresh parsley
1 medium onion grated
2 extra large eggs
250ml milk
Grated cheddar cheese for topping

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
3. Mix in the cheese, herbs and onion.
4. Whisk the eggs and milk together and add to the mixture and blend until a soft dough is formed.
5. Turn the mixture into a greased loaf tin.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. Sprinkle the additional cheese on the top and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes.

 

Submitted by:  Mandy Frielinghaus, Mauritius

Poppy Seed Loaf

Before everybody gets a sugar overload, I thought it best to have something more on the savoury side of things and this Poppy Seed Loaf is an absolute winner.  Enjoy it warm with lashings of butter (naughty I know but oh so nice) or allow it to cool and enjoy with Avocado and Tuna Mould, Salmon Mousse or Chicken Liver Pâté.

 

Ingredients

250ml flour
750ml nutty wheat flour
30ml poppy seeds
10g instant yeast
5ml salt
100ml butter
50ml honey
350ml lukewarm water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C.
2. Mix the flour, nutty wheat flour, poppy seeds, yeast and salt together.
3. Rub the butter into the flour mixture.
4. Mix the honey and water together and add to the dry mixture.
5. Knead and place in a plastic bag.
6. Allow to rise for about 45 minutes or until double in size.
7. Knead and place in a greased loaf tin and leave to rise covered in plastic wrap for 45 minutes.
8. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 1 hour.
9. Leave the bread in the oven for 15 minutes after baking with the oven switched off.

 

Submitted by:  Mandy Frielinghaus, Mauritius

Low GI Brown Soda Bread

A friend of mine asked about an easy Low GI bread recipe for a friend of his.  Now, bread and low GI aren’t the best of friends when it comes to easy and tasty recipes but this brown soda bread is absolutely fabulous.  This bread is great to take a long for picnics too.

 

4 cups wholemeal flour
1 cup bread flour
80ml rolled oats
5ml bicarbonate of soda
5ml salt
2½ cups buttermilk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220˚C.
2. Lightly grease two baking trays alternatively spray with non-stick spray.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, rolled oats, baking soda and salt.
4. Gently mix in the buttermilk until a soft dough is formed and knead very lightly.
5. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and form into rounded flat loaves.
6. Mark each loaf with an X and place on the prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake until golden brown for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

 

Submitted by:  Mandy Frielinghaus, Mauritius

Naan Bread

Naan bread is like a meal all on it’s own for me and is remarkably easy to make.  It’s not the type of bread you can keep and enjoy as much the next day (well, that’s my excuse) so enjoy it all while it’s still warm.

 

Ingredients

7g active dry yeast
250ml warm water
60ml white sugar
45ml milk
1 egg beaten
10ml salt
4½ cups plain / bread flour
10ml garlic minced (optional)
60ml butter melted

Method

1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the sugar, milk, egg, salt, and flour to make a soft dough.
3. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth.
4. Place the dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and set aside to rise for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in volume.
5. Punch down the dough and knead in the garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough the size of a golf balls – about 14 balls.
6. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
7. Heat a cast iron pan until very hot.
8. Roll one ball of dough into a long oval. Lightly oil the pan. Place the dough in the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned.
9. Brush the uncooked side with butter and turn over.
10. Brush the cooked side with butter and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes.
11. Continue until all the naan have been cooked.

Optional

Instead of placing the garlic in the dough, it can be brushed onto the cooked side of the naan with melted butter while in the pan.

Submitted by:  Mandy Frielinghaus, Mauritius